Banded kokopu

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For a general article about all 3 kokopu.

iBanded kokopu

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Osmeriformes
Family:	Galaxiidae
Subfamily:	Galaxiinae
Genus:	Galaxias
Species:	G. fasciatus

Binomial name

Galaxias fasciatus
Gray, 1842

The banded kokopu, Galaxias fasciatus, is a galaxiid of the genus Galaxias, found only in New Zealand, including the Chatham and Stewart Islands. It grows to a length of up to 25 cm.

Banded kokopu have thin, pale, vertical bands along the sides and over the back of the fish. The single dorsal and anal fins are large, rounded, and set back close to the square caudal fin. Like all galaxiids it lacks scales and has a thick, leathery skin covered with mucus.

This member of the Galaxiidae family is one of the five species that occur in the whitebait runs that enter New Zealand rivers each spring. Banded kokopu are generally the smallest of the five species when they are whitebait and have an overall golden colour. The juveniles are very good climbers and will often escape from buckets by clinging to and wriggling up the sides.

Adult banded kokopu usually live in very small tributaries where there is virtually a complete overhead canopy of vegetation. This vegetation does not have to be native bush, however, and banded kokopu happily live in urban streams and exotic pine plantations so long as overhead shade is present.

They mostly feed on invertebrates that either live in the stream bed or fall into the water, and will move into the open at night for feeding.

Banded kokopu do not penetrate very far inland and are primarily a coastal species.